sigdiamond2000:Who's to blame? According to the study's authors, American culture in general is at fault.

"We have a culture in our country ... that cherishes personal autonomy and wants to limit intrusion of government and other entities upon our personal lives," Woolf said.

We do?

Yes. Good god yes. And it's not that it doesn't exist to some extent in other places, but not to the degree that it is embraced and celebrated here. Especially when it comes to "our" bodies and "our" choices, there's nowhere else where making crappy decisions is so greatly lauded.

Diogenes:jaylectricity: Ironic that the nation with the most to live for isn't equipped to do so.

Hedonistic nihilism?

It's more a problem with the existence of the American Dream. If you don't have the ability to get through at least a Bachelors, which is nearly a requirement these days, then you have no real hope of ever succeeding in this country. If you're not rich, the American Dream says you're not worth anything, so what's there to live for?

And you-sorority girl-yeah-just in case you accidentally wander into a voting booth one day, there are some things you should know, and one of them is that there is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we're the greatest country in the world. We're seventh in literacy, twenty-seventh in math, twenty-second in science, forty-ninth in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, third in median household income, number four in labor force, and number four in exports. We lead the world in only three categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real, and defense spending, where we spend more than the next twenty-six countries combined, twenty-five of whom are allies. None of this is the fault of a 20-year-old college student, but you, nonetheless, are without a doubt, a member of the WORST-period-GENERATION-period-EVER-period, so when you ask what makes us the greatest country in the world,I don't know what the fark you're talking about?! Yosemite?!!!

Basically, it's a great spot to live if you're old: "Americans who reach age 75 can expect to live longer than people in the peer countries," the report reads.

But if you're young, well, you should probably just move to France: "I don't think most parents know that, on average, infants, children, and adolescents in the U.S. die younger and have greater rates of illness and injury than youth in other countries," Woolf said.

This should surprise no one. Old people vote, and politicians make sure that old people get exactly what they want.

Yes please:sigdiamond2000: Who's to blame? According to the study's authors, American culture in general is at fault.

"We have a culture in our country ... that cherishes personal autonomy and wants to limit intrusion of government and other entities upon our personal lives," Woolf said.

We do?

Yes. Good god yes. And it's not that it doesn't exist to some extent in other places, but not to the degree that it is embraced and celebrated here. Especially when it comes to "our" bodies and "our" choices, there's nowhere else where making crappy decisions is so greatly lauded.

tricycleracer:And you-sorority girl-yeah-just in case you accidentally wander into a voting booth one day, there are some things you should know, and one of them is that there is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we're the greatest country in the world. We're seventh in literacy, twenty-seventh in math, twenty-second in science, forty-ninth in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, third in median household income, number four in labor force, and number four in exports. We lead the world in only three categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real, and defense spending, where we spend more than the next twenty-six countries combined, twenty-five of whom are allies. None of this is the fault of a 20-year-old college student, but you, nonetheless, are without a doubt, a member of the WORST-period-GENERATION-period-EVER-period, so when you ask what makes us the greatest country in the world,I don't know what the fark you're talking about?! Yosemite?!!!

I loved that quote. Best comeback would have been "my generation didn't cause any of these problems, and it's not my generation that's fighting to maintain the status quo instead of trying to make things better. What's your excuse?"

I know it doesn't fit the theme for the show, but I think it would have made for a more interesting scene.

BgJonson79:Yes please: sigdiamond2000: Who's to blame? According to the study's authors, American culture in general is at fault.

"We have a culture in our country ... that cherishes personal autonomy and wants to limit intrusion of government and other entities upon our personal lives," Woolf said.

We do?

Yes. Good god yes. And it's not that it doesn't exist to some extent in other places, but not to the degree that it is embraced and celebrated here. Especially when it comes to "our" bodies and "our" choices, there's nowhere else where making crappy decisions is so greatly lauded.

GAT_00:Diogenes: jaylectricity: Ironic that the nation with the most to live for isn't equipped to do so.

Hedonistic nihilism?

It's more a problem with the existence of the American Dream. If you don't have the ability to get through at least a Bachelors, which is nearly a requirement these days, then you have no real hope of ever succeeding in this country. If you're not rich, the American Dream says you're not worth anything, so what's there to live for?

Not just a bachelors, but a bachelors in something that proves you have the skills to succeed, and didn't waste money on something that will only allow you to be a barrista.

doczoidberg:If unhealthy behavior is so lauded in America, then why is it illegal now to smoke practically anywhere?

Because some whiny, albeit well intentioned, c*nts crawled up the politicians butts to get it banned in workplaces and restaurants/bars. That I have no problem with. But then they got drunk on their own self importance and kept kvetching and crying and the politicos went for the cheap and easy votes. It also had a side benefit of raking in another set of fines and allowed more intrusion into business owner and private citizens affairs. So instead of laws that makes sense and protect people in legitimate situations where the harmful effects of tobacco use are thrust upon those who opt not to smoke we can't even have completely sealed off, ventilated rooms that totally remove smoke from a public setting.

So essentially power tripping, greed, hysteria and ignorance is why. But heaven forbid anyone mentions that perhaps you should register you stockpile of of death inflicting boomsticks or teach kids to use condoms or pay for preventative healthcare.